The R2 Standard is the leading certification for electronics repair and reuse. As the housing body for R2, SERI maintains the R2 Standard, related documentation, guidance, and facilitates its ongoing development.

SERI works with partners throughout the lifecycle of electronic products to ensure that they are managed responsibly. SERI's programs focus on education, outreach, safety, and international development.

SERI offers a variety of educational and training opportunities for recyclers, as well as opportunities for auditors and consultants. These trainings focus on implementing the R2 Standard, realizing a return on the investment in certification, discussing relevant issues or challenges related to recycling practices, and other topics.

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A new Code of Practices Advisory was released to clarify how the R2 Standard applies to shared space at a physical address. This Advisory will take effect January 1, 2019.

The Introduction to the R2 Standard states “The R2:2013 Standard shall apply to all electronics recycling related activities at a physical address.” The new Advisory clarifies how this applies to various shared or sub-divided space scenarios.

R2 certified companies – and those preparing for certification – make up an increasing percentage of participants in the R2 Auditor Training offered by SERI. The 3-day course focuses on the documentation that certifying body auditors expect to see during an audit. Understanding the R2 Standard from this perspective helps pave the way for the successful implementation of R2 requirements, and ultimately, a successful audit.

One of the comments from an R2 Recycler who attended the Auditor Course –

R2 certified companies that are certified to OHSAS 18001 to meet Provision 1 requirements should be aware that it is being replaced by a new standard -- ISO 45001. Companies currently certified to OHSAS 18001 have three years to transition to the new ISO 45001 standard which was published earlier this month.

There is a common acronym used in the repair and reuse of electronics – “BER.” It stands for “Beyond Economic Repair.” This means that the cost to test, repair, or otherwise refurbish the unit is estimated to be more expensive than the recoverable value from the refurbished device. The age and cosmetic condition of used electronics have a direct impact on determining whether the return on investment (ROI) will be worth the effort required to test or repair the device. (As does the cost of labor and other factors.)

SERI’s board of directors and staff worked diligently over the course of 2017 to develop SERI’s “2018 Strategic Plan”. It is a five-year plan that stresses three key themes: (1) maximizing conformance within the R2 certification program; (2) increasing responsible electronics refurbishing and recycling through other strategies, in both developed and developing countries; and (3) measuring and communicating to stakeholders the impacts of SERI’s work.

A new addendum to the R2 Guidance Document has been published to answer some of the most common questions about the application of R2 Standard requirements in the refurbishment and reuse of mobile devices. While this guidance is written specifically with mobile devices in mind, the concepts may be applicable across other types of devices.

Thorough and rigorous audits are essential to maintaining the integrity and credibility of any certification standard. So, to further strengthen and improve the quality and consistency of the R2 audit and certification process, SERI has launched an Audit Package Review Program to review audit packages (this includes the audit report and supporting evidence).

The R2 Standard is the leading certification for electronics repair and reuse. As the housing body for R2, SERI maintains the R2 Standard, related documentation, guidance, and facilitates its ongoing development.

SERI works with partners throughout the lifecycle of electronic products to ensure that they are managed responsibly. SERI's programs focus on education, outreach, safety, and international development.

SERI offers a variety of educational and training opportunities for recyclers, as well as opportunities for auditors and consultants. These trainings focus on implementing the R2 Standard, realizing a return on the investment in certification, discussing relevant issues or challenges related to recycling practices, and other topics.